Different Types of Phonics—What Are They?

What differences are there, if any, between different types of phonics?  Is one kind of phonics more effective than another?  How do they compare? The chart below will help you decide.

There are three main types of phonics: analytic, embedded and synthetic.  A fourth type, analogy phonics, is a subtype of analytic phonics.  Of these, analytic or embedded phonics are taught with the whole word method of teaching reading and synthetic phonics is taught within a phonics based reading program.  The most effective type of phonics program is systematic synthetic phonics which teaches children how to decode words step-by-step.  Good reading programs include this type of phonics instruction.